Four killed in Ladakh as statehood protests turn violent, Sonam Wangchuk calls off fast

Leh, Sep 24 (PTI) The statehood for Ladakh movement descended into violence, arson and street clashes here on Wednesday, killing four people and injuring at least 45, including 22 police personnel, officials said.

As the sun set on what is arguably the worst day of violence in recent memory in the cold desert region, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk called off his fortnight-long hunger strike to press for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh.

With several of those injured in a critical condition, there are fears the death toll could go up.

The morning began with a complete shutdown in the Ladakh capital. Hundreds of people took to the streets. The BJP office was vandalised and set on fire as were several vehicles.

As the day progressed, flames and dark smoke clouds could be seen from afar. Police resorted to firing and teargas shelling to bring the situation under control after the protesters indulged in widespread violence, officials said.

The administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS to ban the assembly of five or more people, they said. Besides, Congress leader and councillor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag was booked for allegedly making a provocative speech at the hunger strike venue on Tuesday.

The Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) youth wing called for the protest after two of the 15 people, who were on a 35-day hunger strike since September 10, were shifted to a hospital because their condition deteriorated on Tuesday evening.

The fast was to push the Centre to resume dialogue in support of their four-point demand - statehood, extension of Sixth Schedule, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil and reservation for employment.

Addressing an online press conference, Wangchuk said the fact that Tsering Angchuk (72) and Tashi Dolma (60) were taken to a hospital was most likely the immediate trigger for the violent protest.

With the situation worsening rapidly, he stepped in with an appeal and an announcement that he was cutting short the fast.

"I request the youth of Ladakh to stop the violence forthwith as it only causes harm to our cause and further deteriorates the situation. We do not want instability in Ladakh and the country,” he told his supporters.

Teargas shells were heard in the backdrop.

“This is the saddest day for Ladakh and for myself personally because the path we are treading for the last five years was peaceful… We held hunger strikes on five occasions and walked from Leh to Delhi but today we are seeing our message of peace failing because of the incidents of violence and arson,” Wangchuk said.

He also appealed to the administration to stop firing teargas shells and urged the government to be more sensitive.

“We are ending our fast immediately… the aim of the hunger strike is not fulfilled if our youth lose their lives.” “It is time to carry forward the dialogue with a cool mind. We will keep our agitation non-violent and I also want to ask the government to listen to our message of peace… when the message of peace is ignored, such a situation arises,” he said.

The situation is the outcome of frustration among the youth because they have been kept away from jobs, Wangchuk said, adding that there is no democracy in Ladakh and the Sixth Schedule promise made to the public has not been fulfilled either.

The Constitution's Sixth Schedule, meant for the tribal population of the four northeast states of Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam, makes special provisions in terms of governance, powers of president and the governor, type of local bodies, alternate judicial mechanisms and financial powers exercised through autonomous councils.

A fresh round of talks is scheduled between the ministry of home affairs and Ladakh representatives, comprising members of the LAB and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), on October 6.

The two bodies have been jointly spearheading an agitation over the past four years in support of their demands and have held several rounds of talks with the government in the past.

Tension had been building up since Tuesday evening.

Responding to the protest call, Leh town shut down today and large crowds assembled at the NDS memorial ground and later took out a march through the streets of the town, chanting slogans in support of the Sixth Schedule and statehood, officials said.

The situation worsened when some youth pelted stones at the headquarters of the BJP and the Hill Council. Police and paramilitary forces, deployed in strength across the town, lobbed teargas shells to bring the situation under control, the officials said.

Groups of youth set ablaze a security vehicle and some more, and also targeted the BJP office. They set fire to furniture and papers within the complex and one of the buildings.

After nearly four months of stalled talks, the Centre on September 20 extended an invitation to the LAB and KDA for the talks - 10 days after Wangchuk began the hunger strike.

Former MP and LAB chairperson Thupstan Chhewang, who had resigned from the body after the last round of talks on May 27, has returned to the helm and is likely to lead the joint delegation during the negotiations.

The Congress opted out of the LAB after some constituents expressed the view that the LAB delegation should be non-political in view of the Leh Hill Council elections next month. PTI TAS SKL MIN MIN MIN